🇸🇱 Job Vacancy @ Concern Worldwide – Project Manager

• Other Project Managers and relevant programme staff in Tonkolili
• Tonkolili Area Coordinator; Tonkolili and finance, system and HR staff
• Other Programme Coordinators (Livelihoods, Health, Emergency), Programme Director (PD), PDQ Coordinator, Programme Development and Quality unit (Equality and Gender Advisor; Accountability Supervisor and Advocacy and Communications Manager)
• System Director, Country Finance Controller, Country Director, Systems and HR staff
• Concern Head Office Education technical people as needed through Education Programme Coordinator
• EAA NGO Consortium Partners
• District  Education Office/Teaching Service Commission and District Council

The Project Manager will be responsible for overall supervision, management and leadership for the project in target communities and chiefdoms. The Project Manager will provide technical expertise and effective leadership and management of the project staff and resources. Ensure accurate and timely financial budgeting and reporting (financial and narrative). S/he will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the project team, developing and implementing project plans including MEAL, activity and procurement plans; and ensuring adherence to Concern and the EAA consortia policies and procedures.

Approximately 50% of his/her time will be spent in the field in Tonkolili carrying out supportive supervision visits to the team. S/he will ensure close coordination with other Project Managers in Tonkolili for sharing learning and integration. S/He will build and maintain positive relationships with District Ministries, District Council and other stakeholders.

S/He will receive technical support from the Education Programme Coordinator both on programming and on budget management.

This position is contingent on funding.

Responsibilities:

• Prepare annual Procurement plan and Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP), with realistic budget that correspond to approved donor proposal in coordination with Education Programme Coordinator; and ensure DIP and procurement plans are effectively monitored, managed and updated at least quarterly;
• Prepare and ensure the project is implemented according to agreed annual, quarterly and monthly work plans and budgets that correspond to the approved donor proposal and budget; delivers against timeframes, output and outcome targets/objectives;
• Prepare regular narrative reports on project activities for internal management purposes, highlighting any areas of variance with suggested corrective actions;
• Responsible for the production of timely, accurate, and quality project reports and other relevant project documentation for submission to Education Programme Coordinator;
• Develop annual project budgets including cash flow forecasting – ensure ToRs are in line with agreed budget; conduct budget review and management including reforecasts at least quarterly, and monthly donor management account review and feedback submission to Finance department to ensure that expenditure is being accurately recorded and to avoid any under- or over-spends – in coordination with Education Programme Coordinator;
• Ensure all expenditure is authorised and spent in accordance with Concern’s internal procedures and donor requirements. Ensure the allocated budget is utilised effectively and any necessary adjustments are requested in a timely manner.
• With Education Programme Coordinator ensure that all Project Officers fully understand the project’s design, objectives, activities, results framework, and technical approaches, and implement activities in line with these documents;
• Ensure all aspects of EAA Project activities adhere to programme quality standards and policies (PM&E, accountability and mainstreaming) in a coherent and integrated manner;
• In collaboration with the Consortium MEAL Manager, Concern PDQ coordinator and project MEL Officer ensure that the project’s MEAL framework, plan, tools, and systems are well embedded into all project activities, fully understood and regularly implemented by staff and partners, and are in line with the project’s results framework
• Ensure that project activities are continuously monitored and evaluated according to project MEAL plan, including accuracy of data collection by project MEL officer and project staff; and use of project learnings to improve programming;
• In coordination with PDQ, ensure identification and documentation of good project practices and case stories;
• Work closely with the PDQ team to ensure that all project accountability and feedback mechanisms are operational, functional, and used, including by children.

People Management: 

• Manage or participate in staff recruitment as needed for the project;
• Line manages 3 Project Officers, contributing to their capacity building and career development through technical support and on-the-job training and coaching, including in particular a thorough induction at the start of their contract;
• Ensure that each member of the team fully understands outcomes which are expected of them, by setting SMART objectives, and that they are aware of the success criteria relating to their work;
• Ensure that all EAA Project staff are aware of and comply with all of Concern’s and project related policies and procedures;
• Monitor and review performance of EAA Project staff and hold staff accountable for meeting their success criteria; give corrective feedback where required and take decisive action in the case of poor performance;
• Ensure that work within the team(s) is planned and organised in a way which will meet the organisation’s needs in the most cost effective manner possible; ensuring that team members are given appropriate workloads and are working efficiently;
• Build a cohesive and high-performance team, which will deliver results and changes for children, and which is accountable to its project participants, the donor, partners, and external stakeholders

Visibility and Representation

• Participate in consortia meetings, trainings and working groups as require.
• Represent Concern externally in education related fora. Support Education Programme Coordinator to develop and maintain effective partnerships/relationships with relevant INGOs/LNGOs and Sierra Leone government institutions
• Maintain positive relationships with all relevant government agencies and stakeholders, particularly with DDE and TSC in the Target District, ensuring they are regularly updated and invited to participate in or monitor activities as relevant.
• Proactively reach out to other organisations, groups, and agencies that are doing similar or related activities in the project area to strengthen collaboration and synergy, and to avoid duplication.
• Work closely with the advocacy/communications and PDQ teams to maintain an integrated and joined approach to advocacy and programme work as relevant.

General

• Ensure full adherence to and promote Concern’s and consortia key policies – especially the Code of Conduct & Associated Policies (Programme Participants Protection Policy, Child Safeguarding Policy, Anti-trafficking Policy), Anti-Fraud Policy and Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS), including the complaint and response mechanism (CRM), to ensure maximum protection of programme participants and the efficient and transparent use of project resources;
• Promote and protect the reputation of Concern in external settings, ensuring that the organisation’s experience and expertise is well communicated/presented, and that we are looked upon as a professional organisation, guided by policies and our Code of Conduct.
• Contribute to the ongoing reviews and updating of Concern in Sierra Leone’s Security Management Plan (SMP), the country strategic plan, PEER plan, and other Concern initiatives.
• Ensure the efficient and transparent use of all project resources in order to maximize the benefit to the targeted communities. Ensure adherence to Concern policies and procedures.
• Promote Concerns core approaches: Equality, especially gender, protection, climate and environment, conflict and disaster risk reduction within the organization and across programmes, in line with Concern’s Policys and, and ensure targeting and project implementation is informed by How Concern Understands Extreme Poverty (HCUEP);
• Any other tasks as may be mutually agreed with the Education Programme Coordinator and/or the Programmes Director. 

• Bachelor’s Degree in education, development studies, and social sciences related discipline or appropriate equivalent professional qualifications/experience.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience working at management/coordinator level in education (formal and non-formal) related development programmes in Sierra Leone.
• Demonstrated experience of external networking and representation/influencing with government and non-government education stakeholders (NGOs, UN agencies, donor institutions, etc.) at national and other levels. Previous experience of working in partnership with the MBSSE and other key institutions will be a particular advantage.
• Demonstrated experience in line management and building cohesive high performing teams.
• Good budget and financial management skills;
• Ability to organise and plan effectively;
• Excellent English written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong skills in representation and communication and the ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of audiences – influence others
• Excellent computer skills, including Microsoft Office – Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Good team player, flexible and politically and culturally sensitive.
• Proven ability to work in calmly in high pressure environments.
• Ability to take the initiative and ability to work with minimal supervision.
• High level of critical thinking and problem solving abilities.
• Demonstrated empathy with Concern’s values and mission.

Desirable:

• Experience of working to address inequality (gender, disability, etc.), either within the education field or other area of work/experience.
• Proposal development;
• Strong spoken skills in Temne and Krio

Therefore, each staff member of Concern is expected to be sensitive to equality issues in their relationships with colleagues and in their work and to participate in implementation of gender mainstreaming plans, both at the workplace and in programmes.

Concern has an organisational Code of Conduct (CCoC) with three Associated Policies; the Programme Participant Protection Policy (P4), the Child Safeguarding Policy and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy. These have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation, and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organisation, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context, staff have a responsibility to the organisation to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and Associated Policies as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Concern Code of Conduct, candidates acknowledge that they have understood the content of both the Concern Code of Conduct and the Associated Policies and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these policies. Additionally, Concern is committed to the safeguarding and protection of vulnerable adults and children in our work. We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to work or volunteer with vulnerable adults and children are recruited by us for such roles. Subsequently, working or volunteering with Concern is subject to a range of vetting checks, including criminal background checking.